


the ones we love

by orphan_account



Category: Summer King Chronicles - Jess E. Owen
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 21:57:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21399289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Shard and Brynja pay an overdue visit to the Dawn Spire, only to find that with the problem of the wyrms solved, there are still other enemies to face. But it's hard to face an adversary that you can't find.
Relationships: Dagny/Asvander, Halvden/Kenna, Kjorn/Thyra, Ragna & Rashard, Rashard/Brynja





	the ones we love

The flight is long, and hard, and several times Brynja almost falls into the sea. The only thing that keeps her going is the encouraging tones of her mate, Shard, as he beats through the air in front of her, his wings powering him through clouds of mist that rises from the glittering sea. Her broad Aesir wings are not made for journeys like this one, but she knows that gryfons of her kind have made the journey before her, and this keeps her going too.  
On the second day, Shard teaches her to fall into a Nameless haze, unaware of anything, with only the raw animalistic impulses remaining. He says that it will help to make the flight seem like nothing. All true thoughts will leave her brain, and she will only think of food, and shelter, and maybe water.  
On the third day, the Nameless trance drops away suddenly, and Brynja feels ill, terribly ill, like she has eaten something rotten. It takes some time for Shard to regain his senses, but once he does, he is concerned, as he should be. He suggests that maybe the fish they had earlier were tainted, and that it should pass. Brynja hopes so, and they keep going.  
On the fourth day, Brynja is forced to land in the sea, letting the choppy waves support her and sweep her back and forth. Shard swoops above her for some time until he sees that they will not be able to continue for some time. They rest there, until Shard sees something moving in the water below them, something big, and then they have to lift off and keep going.  
On the fifth day, they see a bird, a seagull, and with this sight comes the realization that they are close to land. The news should be enough to brighten Brynja's spirits, but instead she feels even worse. She is unable to eat the dinner that Shard offers her.  
On the sixth day, they land, in a wooded area of the Aesir territory. Brynja looks around her and recognizes this forest. She grew up here, in this land, and yet it seems so unfamiliar at first. She finds that she much prefers the seaside cliffs of the Vanir.  
They encounter a patrol as they walk. Brynja leans against Shard for support, and he can feel her ribs moving against his flank as she heaves for breath. The patrol consists of three gryfons, all ones that Shard knows. In the lead is an emerald male, once one of Shard's worst enemies, now an ally.  
"Halvden!" hails Shard from the ground, waving with one dark gray wing. The green gryfon turns his head, and seeing Shard, an expression of surprise crosses his face, his feathered ears ticking back a fraction, before he relaxes and approaches at a trot. Behind him are a stockier, heavier male with the exact colouring of a falcon, and alongside the second male is the only gryfess of the team, a slender dark brown female who perks up at the side of Brynja.  
"Shard," greets Halvden, and by the way that his tail swings low to the ground behind him, Shard can tell that he is feeling friendly. None of their old animosity remains now. "We weren't expecting you. The king and queen will be delighted. Brynja." He aims this last part at Shard's companion, dipping into a respectful mantle before her.  
"Brynja!" calls out the brown female, bounding eagerly towards her wingsister. "You look terrible. Are you alright ?" When she gets no response, she turns to look inquisitively at Shard. "Is she alright ?"  
"I... I don't know." Shard scrapes at the soil in front of him miserably. "On the way here, she complained of feeling ill, and yesterday she couldn't eat anything. I don't understand what's wrong."  
Brynja raises amber eyes up finally, and looks considerably healthier upon finally noticing the other gryfess. "Dagny," she greets, pushing unsteadily away from Shard to stand on her own four feet as she exchanges nuzzles with her friend.  
In the back, the well-built male gryfon saunters up amiably, nudging Shard with his wing, although he becomes more solemn on seeing Brynja's condition. "We should get her to the palace," he advises. "The healers will know what's wrong."  
Shard wonders if that is true. He grew up the foster son and helper of a healer himself, and even he cannot tell what the matter is. Perhaps it's some rare Aesir condition, which would explain why the symptoms aren't familiar.  
"I'm _ fine. _ Don't worry about me." Brynja does not look fine, but she manages to start walking forwards without support. Just in case, Dagny trots up to her right side and Shard to her left, flanking her while the falcon-colored gryfon, Asvander, takes up the rear and Halvden leads.__  
"Can she fly ?" Halvden turns after some time of walking, addressing Shard. He clearly is not comfortable with being on land for so long, and is itching to get up in the air.  
Brynja is the one to respond. "I can fly perfectly well, and I can speak too, you know."  
Halvden fluffs his feathers, having the grace to look chastened. "Yes, of course."  
He beats his wings several times, lifting off gracefully. Shard, Dagny, and Asvander follow, but none of them move until Brynja has joined them. She is unsteady, but she is staying in the air, and that is what matters.  
The sun is starting to set. Although the Aesir have no need to cower in their caves at night anymore with the fear-mongering wyrms gone, it is still unwise to fly blindly like this, and Halvden lands the party at one of the outposts. Shard clearly remembers this cave as if he was here just yesterday. Back then, he was still rather young and not quite as knowledgeable as he is now. He was an outsider back then, untrusted by many gryfons here, including Brynja's own aunt Valdis.  
"We'll stay here until sunrise." Halvden directs, and Shard sees a considerable change in him too. Once loud, boastful, and cowardly, Halvden has grown into a mature and responsible leader, and he is happy to see this. The green gryfon lays down at the opening of the cave, and Dagny and Asvander sleep together by one of the far walls, leaving the back for Shard and Brynja. It is the first chance they have had to sleep on solid land for a while, and as Shard lays his head across Brynja's strong chest, he finds himself immediately drifting to sleep.  
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__ He is woken by the sounds of rustling feathers. It is not quite sunrise yet, but Halvden is gone, and Brynja is shifting uneasily beside Shard. He scoots to the side, giving his russet queen more room, and she shivers, tucking her wings in closer to her sides. Alarmed, Shard inspects her closer. She is hot, burning up even as he gently nudges her neck with his beak. So why is she trembling ?  
Dagny and Asvander are still fast asleep, Shard notices as he stares at Brynja, trying to think of a way to help her. She must have a fever. He knows how to cure a fever, but he doubts he knows many of the herbs in this area. And where is Halvden ?  
These questions occupy him until one of them is answered. Just before the sun rises, there is a glint of emerald and Halvden clambers back into the cave, a small prey animal clutched in his talons. Shard watches him for a while, until Halvden becomes aware that he is not the only one awake and turns his head, his feathers smoothing down when he sees it is only Shard. There is awkward silence between them for a while. Although on the same side these days, they never truly became friends, and now each is unsure of what to say to the other. Shard's eyes move to the creature hefted between Halvden's claws. It is not as small as he originally thought it was; it looks to be some sort of baby deer, perhaps. Shard's stomach rumbles, but he knows that being a Vanir, he would rather not eat a creature of the earth like this one unless absolutely necessary. Halvden knows this too, and maybe it is why he doesn't offer any of the food to Shard. He doesn't eat it all himself either, though, leaving a large portion that is presumably to be consumed by Dagny and Asvander, and maybe Brynja if she is able.  
By the time morning comes around, all of them are awake and the prey has been mostly eaten. Brynja was able to eat a bit, which Shard is reassured by. Surely if she can eat, then she must be starting to make a recovery. They fly quickly and swiftly, no conversation exchanged between them. It is growing late by the time that they arrive at the Dawn Spire, and Halvden then takes the lead, taking them into the heart of the palace.  
Shard has never been this deep in the structure before, and he marvels at the flawless architecture he sees around him. They pass several other gryfons in the halls, some that Shard knows and other that he doesn't. None of them pay their little group much attention as they rush by. Brynja has started to look a little better after some rest and nourishment, to everyone's relief, and she has a more dignified position that corresponds to her status as Shard's queen.  
Before he knows it, they have arrived at the throne room. Halvden takes them in and bows before the king and queen. "Your majesties. Shard and Brynja decided to pay us a visit; we found them at the edge of the forest."  
King Kjorn's ears perk forwards, and the golden gryfon spread his wings in welcome, the firelight glinting off his metallic feathers. "It's been a long time, wingbrother! What kept you ?"  
Shard is able to laugh, really laugh, and steps forward to fold his wing over Kjorn's. "It has. I'm glad to see you and Thyra look well. Where's Kvasir ?"  
"Oh, Kvasir," Kjorn echoes, chuckling deep in his chest. "I believe he's off playing with Halla and some of the other young fledges. Kenna is watching over them, but perhaps an extra set of talons might be of some use to her?" Kjorn looks over at Halvden, who grasps his meaning and mantles once before leaving them. Dagny and Asvander shift, and Kjorn's attention falls to them. "Ah, Dagny, Asvander. You may both be excused as well."  
Dagny leans into Brynja's side and mutters something in her ear that makes her laugh; then she strides off, Asvander in tow.  
The lavender gryfess beside Kjorn rises with elegance, pacing forwards a few steps to nip Shard's ear playfully. Then she turns from him and moves on to Brynja, offering the gryfess a pleasant swish of her wings. "And Brynja! I hope you've been taking care of my big brother ?" Shard laughs again, because looking at Thyra, a true queen, he feels more like her little brother. Brynja gives a modest shrug. "I do what I can, but sometimes he's impossible." She nudges him heartily with her wing, a mischievous glint in her eyes.  
"You're absolutely correct," Thyra agrees, shaking out her feathers. "Well, I suppose we do have a lot to catch up on. Perhaps we can talk over dinner tonight?"  
Shard is reluctant to wait, but it will have to do. Besides, he and Brynja should most likely rest after the journey. Which reminds him...  
"Kjorn, Thyra, on the way here Brynja fell briefly ill. I didn't recognize the symptoms too well, but I do know she had a fever and loss of appetite. She seems to be fine now, but could you call some of the healers just in case ?"  
"I'm fine," objects Brynja, but she is drowned out by Kjorn's response.  
"Yes, of course. I'll get some of them in immediately."  
"Thank you," Shard says, the tension finally leaking out of his body as his ears lay at a normal angle once more.  
At that moment, a gryfess bursts in. Shard doesn't recognize her, but Thyra does, her ears shoving forwards in surprise.  
"Njola ! What is it ?"  
The dark black gryfess shakes her head mutely. One of her wings is hanging off to the side, bloody, torn. Across her chest is a fresh wound, sure to leave a scar. "Your majesties, I'm so sorry. I don't know where they came from, I don't know, they came out of nowhere! They attacked us, I think they killed Dreki too. I'm so sorry-"  
The poor female was hyperventilating, so great was her distress. Thyra trotted forwards, laying a comforting wing across her shoulders. "Breathe, Njola, breathe. Now tell me, what happened ?"  
Njola spread her wings. "My patrol and I were just leaving the general area of the Dawn Spire when we were attacked. We didn't get a chance to see who it was, but it was a gryfon, I'm sure of it. Maybe more than one. I didn't recognize their smell; it was like they purposely covered it up. By the time I could see again, Dreki was lying on the ground, blood pouring from her throat, and Muspell was limping; her shoulder was dislocated. They're still lying there. I was the only one who could travel. I'm so sorry!"  
"It's not your fault. Njola, get yourself to the healers; we'll take care of Dreki and Muspell." Thyra waited until the black gryfess had left the room, and turned to Shard and Brynja, concern in her features. "I sincerely apologize that this is what you arrived to... If you like, you can catch up with Njola and she can show you to where the healers are located so you can get Brynja checked on. We'll try to join you for dinner later as soon as you can." 


End file.
